Desert Winter
by Pens or Buttons
Summary: Winter means Christmas. Christmas means time with family and friends. For Alex his friends are his family. "Snakehead" spoilers. For more info go to my profile under "About my Stories"
1. Changes

**You might have read my first Alex Rider story that I changed to Strong Ties of an Unknown Bond. Well I didn't feel like re-writing Anthony Horowitz 'Ark Angel,' so I read 'Snakehead' and decided to make this Christmas story. If you haven't read 'Snakehead' or are in the middle of reading it I don't advise you to read this because it does reveal things from that book. Tell me what you think.**

**Changed**

Alex Rider was enormously excited that Sabina was visiting for Christmas. It was as if a building had been lifted off of his shoulders. He had missed Sabina's jokes more than he realized. Over the past weeks he was pretty sure that Sabina spent more of her time with him and Jack than she did with her own parents.

"What are we going to do today then?" Alex asked after Sabina came over for lunch. It was a Saturday and Alex had never felt more alive.

"I want to eat first," Sabina said and looked at Jack. "I love your cooking ideas. My mom doesn't like cooking much."

Jack smiled at her. "I've been doing it long enough I could probably have my own show if I didn't have to take care of a certain someone," she said and ruffled Alex's hair with a laugh.

"Chelsea has a home game," Alex said turning to Sabina who had dimples in her cheeks from laughing at Jack. "Or we could go to the cinema," he suggested.

"Well you're bursting with ideas," Sabina started and was cut off with a buzzing noise in her pocket. She pulled her cell phone out.

"Hello?" she said into the receiver. She paused and slipped gracefully off of the bar stool she was sitting on. "Oh hey, I'm here in London for the holidays." She paused again. "I'm at my friend Alex's house," she said and started to walk away from Alex. "Yeah he's a guy," she said after a pause and giggled. "You are?" Another pause as she turned back to them. "Kings Road…Number ten." Sabina turned to Jack. "Do you mind making another meal?" She asked. "I have a friend I'd like Alex to meet."

Alex thought immediately of some guy she had met in America. His spirits dropped considerably.

"I suppose I could throw something together," Jack said shrugging.

"Great," Sabina said and turned away back to her phone. "Have you eaten yet?" she asked the person. "Good then you can eat with us...see you soon then." Sabina hung up her cell phone and put it back in her pocket.

"So," she said with a smile as she lifted herself onto her stool again, "What are we having?"

"Food," Jack said and started moving around the kitchen.

"So who's coming over?" Alex asked. He was very aware of his stomach clenching and unclenching.

"A friend of mine," Sabina said mysteriously and then asked Jack if she wanted any help.

"Of course," Jack said. "You can be the chef's assistant and Alex can set the table," she said and winked at him. Alex swung himself off the stool and set the dining room table.

He frowned. She had been vague to him on purpose. Needless to say he wasn't in as good a mood as he had been a few minutes ago. Could he be jealous? Alex supposed he could be. He liked Sabina very much. The thought that she might have some one besides him in her life made him experience one of those normal teenage emotional cascades. The ones where you feel so many different things at once that it just makes you over exaggerate everything.

If Alex had put it in that perception, he might have laughed. He had wanted to be a normal person for the last eight months. Now that he was in normal fluctuating emotions and hormones he suddenly wished to be on another adventure. Alex stopped suddenly as the thought presently crossed his mind.

"No," he said aloud to himself. "You'll get over whoever this person is. Going back to that is not an option right now or ever."

Ten minutes later the table had been set and the doorbell rang. Sabina rushed to the door and Alex's heart prepared itself to sink, emotionally that is. He stood in the foyer and watched Sabina open the door.

After about a second his ears heard the shrill reunion of two girl friends. Alex's brain did a double take. The first thing he saw was tapered blonde hair and bright blue eyes before two parka covered arms circled Sabina.

It seemed less than as second later Sabina had introduced her. Her? He blinked blankly at her.

"Alex," Sabina said. "This is my friend Lainey Harper. I met her at Wimbledon same time as you."

Alex didn't really hear the last thing she said. His brain was still climbing the hill of surprise. Relief began to settle over him and he smiled slightly at her.

"Come on," Sabina said and pulled Lainey away. She had a small smirk on her face and looked at him with her shocking blue eyes before folding her long eyelashes over them and turning away as Sabina pulled her into the kitchen to meet Jack.

Alex grinned to himself. Even in her parka coat he could tell that she was athletic and fit. Her feet had been sheltered by tan skintight leather boots. They were flat yet made her look taller as they came up to her knees. Lainey pulled off her parka and went back past Alex to hang it on the rack. As she went by he could smell pine needles in her wake. It made him think of Christmas. It was so faint he couldn't be sure if it was a perfume or her natural scent.

Lainey seemingly strode back in. She moved quickly.

"You got my e-mail then," Sabina said as Lainey nodded and turned around.

"I really liked the boots," Lainey said. "They're so comfortable. And I love the long stretchy shirts. It feels like you're floating," she said and got on the tip of her toes making everyone laugh.

"So this is what teenage girls wear in America," Jack said. "What do you think of it Alex?"

Alex laughed. "I don't care what they wear as long as it's the right girl and she looks good," he said and shrugged. Sabina laughed heartily and Lainey smiled at him over her shoulder. She had on cream colored wool swoop neck sweater that stretched comfortably around her hips. It wasn't too tight or too big. It just sort of hung there yet wrapped around her torso at the same time.

"I guess I like it," Alex said and shrugged again. He noticed that Lainey had a very beautiful smile. Was she flirting with him? The oven bell saved him.

"It was actually Lainey's idea for us to go to San Francisco," Sabina said as they started eating. "I have to admit it was a good choice for our family."

"What all have you said?" Alex asked suspiciously wondering if Sabina had let on more to Lainey than she should have. He couldn't seem to trust Lainey. It was one of his extra senses. She made him feel like he was under a microscope even though she didn't look at him very often. Maybe it was because she wasn't really invited, that made him feel insecure. Still there was something...

"Lainey knows how it is with journalists," Sabina said gesturing at her friend across the table. Lainey was chewing her food and looking at her plate as if no one was talking about her. "In America you have freedom of the press and a lessened chance of, well you know..." she trailed off and fell silent.

Alex looked at Lainey again as he continued eating. The curtain of her tapered hair fell over her face as she seemed to hide from him.

"What do you have planned for the rest of the day then?" Jack asked and broke the loud silence but for chewing and cutlery chinking.

They went to the cinema and Alex practically watched Sabina float her attentions away from him. Lainey rarely ever said a word to him except thank you and sorry. However, the two girls jabbered together constantly until right before the lights dimmed.

"Why don't you talk Alex?" Lainey asked. "Do you prefer being strong and silent?"

Strong and silent seemed to click with him as he put his brown eyes on her. Was she trying to get something out of him? "You simply fascinate me," Alex said almost harshly.

"Alex," Sabina said shocked.

Alex was losing it. "You look at me as if you know everything about me. I barely know you," he said a little loudly as he leaned forward in his seat. "What do you expect?"

"Nothing less," Lainey said and looked in his eyes.

They stared at each other for a moment. How much did she know? Did she even know anything? Why was he so uptight? What was wrong with him? He was never like this around girls. Why was she suddenly so different? He searched for an answer in her eyes but they revealed little; only admiration and understanding as if she knew where he had come from. 'Nothing less,' she had said. If anything Alex was flabbergasted. He knew little about her and didn't really want to know more. There was something just behind her eyes that held something he wanted; but what?

"Heyellow," Sabina said moving her hand between their gaze.

"I'm sorry about everything," Lainey said as her eyes turned down. "I should have waited to meet you another day."

Alex hadn't meant to hurt her feeling and he had opened his mouth to explain but the darkness swallowed them. Lainey swung her leg up over the other one as Alex settled back in his seat. Sabina, who was sitting between them, exchanged glances with him and Alex sighed and thumped his head against the back of his seat.

-

After the movie Lainey excused herself to go to the restroom.

"What's up Alex," Sabina asked when they were alone.

"I don't trust her," Alex said with his arms folded across his chest defiantly.

"You don't trust anyone," Sabina said softly, looking at him.

"Why should I?" Alex said without thinking.

Sabina looked at him reproachfully. "Do you even trust me?" she asked.

"Of course," Alex said realizing what he had said. "I didn't mean..."

Sabina silenced him with her hands. "If you can't trust anyone Alex how do you expect to live like a normal person?" she asked. Alex had no reply to that. He just looked at the floor. "You've changed," Sabina said making Alex look up at her. She stuffed her hands in her pockets as they waited for Lainey to come back out again.

That night while Alex laid in his bed he thought about what Sabina had said. It had been a blow that had knocked what he thought was normalcy to the ground. He had changed in more ways than one.

That night he thought of Ash. He had betrayed his parents. It was something he couldn't fathom. Why would he blow up his parents?

His parents...

It had been Ash's fault all along that he had never known his parents. Had Ian known that it was Ash all along? He had though Ash was going to take care of him but it turned out that Ash didn't care. Alex suddenly felt very alone.

The tears fell down his cheeks and into his ears. He let them flow until he fell asleep dreaming of how they could have been.

_/It was Christmas time. There was a brightly lighted tree with a skirt circling it. A man was sitting cross-legged across the room from a baby boy. "Come on," he said beckoning him forward._

_The tot put a foot unsteadily in front of the other and let go of the sofa as he walked three steps toward his father. The man caught his son in his arms as he started tickling him. The baby laughed shrilly as the mother came in and watched them playing._

_The man looked up at his wife smiling and set his son on the other side of the room again._

_"Look Helen," he said. "Look at what Alex can do."_

_The baby Alex giggled and made his mother smile as he tried sprinting across the floor but tripped. His father swept him up before he hit the floor. Alex laughed again as his father spun him around on his shoulder._

_"John," Helen said walking over to him. "You're going to drop him on his head."_

_John stopped turning around as he held Alex upside down and grabbed his wife around the waist. "You wish," he joked. "Then he won't be able to compete with me. You want a mama's boy so much take him," he said and flipped Alex into Helen's arms._

_Helen laughed as Alex put his face in her neck. John leaned down to kiss her when Alex's hand landed on his mouth. John moved his head to dodge his son's hand but Alex was too quick for him. The family laughed together as John pulled Alex's hand away and kissed his wife. It was a perfect first Christmas with just the family together._

In his deep sleep Alex clutched his pillow. That was all he could do. He could only dream of the Christmas that never was. It hurt even worse than when his uncle had died. How could he possibly change? No one would ever be able to completely be able to understand that pain in his heart. He had to be strong and rise above all that. That was the only way he could possibly change. Alex turned over onto his back as his muscles relaxed and he drifted back off to sleep.

**I hope you like it. I'd like about five reviews before I put up the next chapter which I already have. I can handle flames. **


	2. New Girl

**I didn't expect to have five reviews so fast. I got my first review within an hour of publishing it. I'm glad you liked it. I meant to add this chapter yesterday but it was New Year's Eve and I had a friend over so I forgot. Please review more.**

**New Girl**

"You look terrible," Jack said when Alex came down for breakfast.

"Thanks Jack," Alex said sarcastically, "I feel terrific now."

"What happened at the movies?" Jack asked as she made Alex his usual eggs. "You're usually full of chatter on Saturday night. You just went to bed without saying a word."

"Have I changed?" Alex asked suddenly. At first Jack didn't answer as she put his eggs on a plate.

"I've practically raised you Alex," Jack said looking at him seriously. "You've always been changing. It's part of growing up."

"I mean have I changed in a bad way?" Alex asked, his appetite being chased out by his haunting thoughts.

"Of course not," Jack said. "You're a very good person Alex." She could tell that she wasn't making him feel better.

"I just feel so empty Jack," Alex said. "It's almost as if MI6 gave my life meaning. Now that I'm back all this school life seems so shallow. I mean girls are fighting over guys and vice versa when there's who knows what going on in the real world. It feels as if I'm not in my own skin anymore," he said picking at his eggs. "I don't know Jack," he said with a slight shake of his head, "I just feel so alone. My parents are dead. My uncle is dead. Even my Godfather is dead. I love you and all Jack but you don't really even belong here. I'm the only one left and I'm too young to do anything about it."

Jack walked around the bar and hugged Alex tightly. "We're going to have a wonderful Christmas Alex," she said. "Chuck full of gingerbread people and a Christmas tree with lights." She put Alex out at arms length. "You're going to catch up with your studies and I promise," she said looking at him in the eye, "We're going to have the best Christmas you have ever had."

Alex smiled a little and was finally comforted by her words. He started eating his eggs.

"You should go do something with Tom today," Jack said watching him eat. "Maybe you can hook him up with Lainey." Alex's face lit up with laughter just like he had in his dream.

-

"You aren't serious right," Lainey said when Alex called her about going out with him and Tom.

"You seem to be the type to appreciate the strong and silent type," Alex said into his cell phone as the smell of gingerbread wafted out of the kitchen. Jack had got to work straight away.

Lainey laughed in her musical way. Alex smiled. He seemed to have gotten over his distrust. She had sparked something in him that he had kept tucked away for a long time. Sabina had put it into words but she would have never said it if Alex had never met her.

"Is Sabina coming?" Lainey asked.

"Well I called her today and she said she was going Christmas shopping," Alex said.

"You looked a bit forlorn on the way home," Lainey said. "I hope nothing went wrong between you two."

"No," Alex said, "Not really."

"You want to tell me about it?"

Lainey asked. It was almost as if she was sitting right next to him.

"Later," he said considering.

"Today?" she asked making sure he'd tell her.

"Maybe," Alex said.

"Maybe," Lainey repeated and Alex could hear her laugh slightly.

"So will you come?" Alex asked.

"Hold on," Lainey said. She put her hand over the receiver but Alex could still hear her. "Hannah! Do I have any appointments today?"

In the background he could hear Christmas music playing. He could here Lainey's soft footsteps as she walked through a hallway. There was a yell and a scuffle as Lainey dropped the phone.

Alex looked at his cell phone to make sure he was still connected. He was. He furrowed his brows. "Lainey, Lainey are you there? Hello?" he said as Lainey fought Hannah.

"Do you know if I have any appointments?" Lainey grunted as they rolled over away from her phone.

"I don't think so," Hannah trying to twist Lainey's arm, "Why?"

"I have a date," Lainey said slamming Hannah on her back the pulling her elbow up behind her head.

"Okay, okay," Hannah cried wincing in pain. "You win!"

Lainey crawled over to the phone again. "Sorry about that," she said.

"My aunt's taking Karate. It's very humorous," she said as Hannah laughed and rubbed her elbow.

"No pun intended," Hannah mumbled.

Lainey laughed. "She's not very good."

"Just because you've got one of those silly looking black belts," Hannah said. "Give me one of those red ones any day," she joked.

Lainey rolled her eyes and heard Alex laugh. "Very funny," she said.

"You have a black belt in Karate?" Alex said. Lainey emitted a noise that said she did indeed, "Me too."

"Cool. Maybe we could beat each other up sometime," she joked making him laugh again.

They talked like this for about a half an hour while Hannah and Jack interjected at different times.

Alex was putting a face on a gingerbread man when Lainey told him she was going to Brooklyn.

"Since when?" Alex asked licking the icing off his fingertips.

"Since I transferred yesterday," Lainey said.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Alex asked.

"Well you didn't exactly feel like talking to me did you," Lainey said as Hannah tickled her nose with a feather duster.

"I suppose I didn't then," Alex said as he heard an almighty sneeze.

"Sorry," Lainey said before sneezing one last time. "Hannah attacked me with a feather duster." Lainey turned her phone to her neck as she went after Hannah. She grabbed the feather duster and shoved it in her face.

"How do you like that, huh," Alex heard Lainey say as she laughed. Hannah yelped in pain as Lainey remarked, "Ha! Honked your nose." There was more of her laughter.

"Go fetch," she said as she threw the duster to the other side of the room.

"Lainey!" Hannah called and chased her into her room where she locked the door.

"Ah peace," Lainey said and sat on her bed. "Now, what were you saying?"

"I really don't remember," Alex said.

"Good grief," Lainey said looking at her watch. "We've been talking for at least forty-five minutes."

"Wow," Alex said looking at his own watch. "So are you coming?" he asked.

"I suppose so," Lainey said. "It'll be nice having friends already before the first day of school."

"Good," Alex said. "I'll pick you up?"

"No," Lainey said. "Hannah remembers where you live. She'll drop me off and then we can go from there."

"Great," Alex said.

"I'll be there in about a half an hour," Lainey said.

"I'll see you then," Alex said.

"See you," Lainey replied and hung up.

Alex put his phone in his pocket and looked at Jack who was leaning across the counter looking at him. She had a goofy grin on her face. "It looks like Sabina might have a little competition after all," she said.

Alex narrowed his eyes at her. "Shut up," he said in French.

"Will do," Jack replied also in French, "Will do."

-

If there was one thing to say about Lainey it was that she was a mystery. Alex found out that she lived with a woman named Hannah that she told everyone it was her aunt. Hannah was actually a Dutch student who had come over to Britain to become a citizen. She had grown up with her aunt and after living in Britain for a few years agreed to take care of Lainey.

Jack had met Hannah and they agreed to go out for coffee together during lunch while they were at school. For about fifteen minutes they talked together in the entranceway as Alex showed Lainey his room.

Alex had forgotten that he had a picture of him and his uncle on his bedside table before Lainey picked it up.

"That's my Uncle and me," Alex said feeling uncomfortable.

"He has a nice face," Lainey said still looking at the picture. "He must have been a good man." She looked at him. It was that familiar face of understanding that he could never quite grasp. It was there one second then gone. That was what had led her to tell him all the former information.

Lainey had seemed to sink into her own thoughts as Jack drove them all to Tom's house. In fact Lainey seemed to barely talk at all even when they were all eating together. She laughed a few times but she didn't make as many jokes.

"Do you know what classes you're going to have at Brooks?" Tom asked her.

Lainey shook her head.

"I told them to put her in choir," Hannah said. "She sings like an Angel."

"Stiltse," Lainey said sharply as Hannah grinned.

Everyone else at the table looked confused. Then suddenly Alex remembered what Lainey had told him.

"That's shut up in Dutch," Alex said, "Isn't it."

"You're very smart Alex," Hannah said. "She told you then?"

Alex nodded.

"Good," Hannah said. "I'm glad she's made a friend. She never had very good ones in Bath. It was my idea for her to go to Wimbledon. I think meeting Sabina was the best thing that happened to her."

Alex could see the color rising in Lainey's cheeks.

"Of course she didn't want to be a ball girl at first but I talked her into it," Hannah said.

"Actually it was you who didn't want me to go," Lainey said. "You were afraid I was going to be hit in the head."

"I was joking," Hannah protested.

"How come I didn't meet you?" Alex asked.

"You didn't really stick around after you solved that whole cheating thing," Lainey said.

The table fell silent until Tom decided to bring up a very shallow subject that drove them away from the heavy atmosphere.

"Are you going to sing something?" Tom asked.

"Are you crazy?" Lainey asked. "I most certainly will not."

"Why not?" Jack asked.

"Because," Lainey started and snatched a French fry off of Alex's plate, "I'm eating." Her plate was already empty. She ate the French fry much to Alex's protest.

They argued a while about weather or not he was going to get a bite of her cheesecake.

"In your dreams French fry boy," Lainey said and tried to stuff one up his nose. Everyone at the table started laughing as Alex took hold of Lainey's wrist as she strained herself as she aimed for his nose.

"Okay I give up," Lainey said and stopped. As soon as Alex relaxed she hit him on the nose with a French fry. He grabbed her wrist again and tried to bite her.

"Alex!" Lainey exclaimed loudly as she pulled her arm away. Through the fit of giggles Jack tried to hush them as different people in the restaurant looked at them. "Stop trying to bite me."

"I just wondered if it'd be better than the cheesecake," Alex said letting go of her none the less.

Lainey looked at him and laughed. "I seriously doubt it. Especially after I steal another one," she said snatching another one and sticking it in her mouth.

Alex just laughed.

-

When Lainey walked into school the next day he couldn't believe how great she looked in a uniform. Whispers were following her left and right. Her head wasn't held high like it normally was. In fact she looked relieved to see him.

"I'm just supposed to sit in on classes before Holiday," Lainey said. "Do you mind showing me my classes?"

"Not at all," Alex said smiling at her, "New girl."

Lainey laughed before she was interrupted by a girl who had walked up next to her. Alex had turned his back and taken a few steps before she said anything.

"You better watch yourself," she said. "He never stays around long enough for anyone to get too attached."

Alex looked back at Lainey and then the other girl.

"Well considering the holidays," Lainey said calmly, "Neither will you." She turned sharply away and joined Alex again.

"What was that all about?" he asked over the crowds murmur.

"Oh just my first dose of 'new girl' I guess," Lainey said and smiled slightly as she handed Alex her schedule paper and they walked down the hallway side by side.

**Next we're going to get to the bad guys…I haven't written this chapter yet so I can't limit you by reviews. I'm working on three fan fics at the same time. Check them out.**


	3. Military Kid

**I know it's been forever since I've updated but I was trying to come up with conflict. I could have gone directly with just the triangle but I hope you'll like this twist a bit better than the typical teenager stuff. Story of my life you know. Boring! I couldn't bear to bore you so read on.**

**Military Kid**

A man in his early twenties sat at a desk in a bank. Inside things were very royal. The dark wooden desk was brightly polished. The in and out baskets were neatly organized. The picture hanging on the wall was a picture of one of England's oldest castles. The secrets in the walls however were what made everything royal. Other than that the building looked like a general bank. The name stuck. It was the Royal & General bank, secret headquarters to Britain's MI6.

He knew she was the one. He had read her file over and over. She was highly opinionated but silent. She was just like any other teenager just worrying about the next step.

The file went as such:

Undercover Agent Paisley was born in Australia where she grew up next to the sea with her mother Agatha Miller an American soldier who served in Desert Storm. In the midst of battle she became pregnant and was dismissed by CO. Agent Paisley grew up not knowing that her father was ex-agent and at the time her mother's comrade Ash who is now deceased. Ash was a known Scorpia operative. Agent Paisley's childhood is scattered with disaster. Ash soon after killing Agent John Rider came to Australia to kill Agatha and succeeded leaving Agent Paisley barely alive in the rubble of the house. She bears a four inch scar running from the abdominal to the groin. This injury has been documented and will prevent her from ever bearing children. She was five years old.

When Agent Paisley was ten she insisted on her caretaker telling her the whole truth about her history. She has always had such persuasive skills. (See section GADGETS) Agatha had however taught her all about the Middle East and the difference between a Sunni and a Shiite. Agatha also taught her French to an extent before she died. When her caretaker took her in she immediately began to teach Agent Paisley many different languages. The caretaker has also taken her all over the world and allowed her to do extreme sports such as White Water rafting, bungee jumping, deep sea diving, mountain biking, mountain climbing, skydiving, and Karate. In fact the caretaker had to force Agent Paisley to bungee jump to which she still never gets too excited about. She is very accurate with a bow and arrow. Caretaker refuses to give her a gun of any kind under MI6 orders.

Agent Paisley became very interested in military matters after she found out her history. She attended a delinquent boot camp, excelled and was out of there in a week after finishing her daily laps earlier than everyone else and finding time to ruin every megaphone in the vicinity.

Agent Paisley likes to play jokes and pull pranks. (See section STUNTS) Like every teenage girl she likes fashion and often ties ribbons on soldier's guns for laughs. She shows small interest in boys in general but most of her friends happen to be SAS agents. Agent Paisley also likes movies, reading, and has an amazing gift for music as well.

Well rounded by living at least a couple of months in different countries all over her home has been in Bath until recently. Agent Paisley has been positioned in Chelsea to keep an eye on the well known Alex Rider. Other friend of common age is Sabina Pleasure whom Agent Paisley met at Wimbledon where they were both ball girls.

Code Name Paisley is restricted by Unknown

Ben grinned to himself as he scanned the file again. Paisley had always known how to get into files and rewrite them so no one knew who she really was. She had been cracking codes ever since Ben had met her. She had looked at him and simply told him his name even though she had been told his name was Fox.

"You look like a Ben," Paisley had said and grinned as she tied a ribbon on his hand. "Don't take it off until you've touched down. It keeps your mind off the fact that you're going to be freefalling for about ten seconds."

Ben had smiled back before he parachuted out of the plane but that had been two years ago. No one in their right mind would have let a blond headed thirteen year old throw herself onto a battle field. Paisley was fifteen now. Maybe she wouldn't fight but he knew she would willingly represent the youth of Britain. Ben picked up the phone on his desk. It was noon at the Royal & General. Paisley would be eating lunch by now as would most of England.

-

Alex looked at Lainey's purse on the cafeteria bench as the Pink Panther theme song music suddenly wafted from it. Lainey pulled it out and answered it with her mouth full thinking that it would be Hannah.

Lainey suddenly choked on her sandwich as Alex stared at her coughing and grabbing for her bottle of water.

"Are you okay," Alex asked as she continued coughing.

"Yeah I'm fine," Lainey said getting up. "I'll be right back in a minute." She walked away leaving Alex looking slightly confused with Tom looking completely dazed.

"Why are you calling me?" Lainey asked as soon as she was sure she was alone. She paused as the person on the other side answered.

"What kind of favor?" she asked. Her eyebrows knitted together as the person replied and hung up on her.

Lainey closed her phone and frowned slightly before turning around and going back to Alex and Tom. She sat next to Alex again.

"Who was that?" Alex asked curiously. She laughed suddenly.

"It was a prank call," she said going back to her food. "I have really strange friends back in Bath."

Alex decided to let it go this time. She was just another girl. There was nothing to worry about.

-

They had co-ed physical education together in an arena type gymnasium. They actually had every class together. Everyone was going through their required stretches and Lainey was standing around looking bored.

"Are you going to join in or not?" the teacher asked her.

"I'm not sure I understand what this class is for," Lainey said crossing her arms over her chest. "We're just playing bad mitten and soccer."

"Look," the teacher said looking annoyed. "I know you're probably really athletic and strong but it's required that you have a health class."

"Okay," Lainey said and shrugged a shoulder.

The teacher divided the girls and boys up so they could pick teams on different sides of the arena. Lainey was immediately confronted by another girl.

"If you think you don't need to be in this class then tell me what you can do," the girl said as Lainey raised her eyebrow.

Lainey sat on the ground and did a few stretches. "There's no point in telling you," she said. "I'll just show you."

She got to her feet and turned towards a clear stretch of the arena. She took a deep breath before running forward and completing a double back handspring and landing with ease. The other girls were astonished.

Lainey walked over to the bad mitten racquets and flipped it from the netting to the handle. "Bad mitten anyone?" she said as all of the girls exchanged glances with each other.

-

"So who taught you gymnastics?" Alex asked Lainey as they walked to their last class.

"Hannah," Lainey replied, "Who else?"

"Hannah seems to care a lot about your physical well being," Alex noted observantly.

"She's Dutch," Lainey joked, "What do you expect."

Alex laughed as a silence fell over them as they walked swiftly in stride with each other. Lainey was quite a bit shorter than Alex but she had long legs for her body.

"Hannah makes me walk vigorously for a half an hour with her everyday," Lainey said finally. "I've taught myself how to read while walking on a treadmill." She had made him laugh again.

"I'd like to see your house sometime," Alex said casually.

"Uh," Lainey started, "Hannah's not a very good housekeeper. If she found out that you were coming," she said, "I'd find myself thrown off a conveyor belt with no safety mechanism to keep my hair from being ripped out." It felt so good to make him laugh.

"Well maybe she won't find out," Alex teased and winked at her.

"Are you suggesting sneaking into my house?" Lainey asked as they finally stopped outside the door of their classroom.

"I could do it," Alex said confidently as he turned toward her.

"I wouldn't try if I were you," Lainey replied grimly. There was a moment of awkward silence before they both tried to go through the door at the same time. Alex pushed her inside once they had unstuck themselves from the doorway.

-

Lainey walked into her Bank at 4:50 after school. "Good afternoon Heather," she said brightly as if she came there everyday. The lady at the desk smiled as her name tag winked at her.

"Anything I can help you with," Heather asked.

"I have an appointment at eighteen hundred hours," Lainey said as Heather nodded and she was promptly led inside an elevator with two burly looking men.

"What's the favor?" Lainey asked again when she walked into the young man's office. Lainey didn't even sit in the chair as Ben quickly got up from his chair. Ben and Lainey were friends. He wanted her to be at ease.

Ben sat on the edge of his desk as Lainey folded her arms patiently. "Its more of a request," he started. "There's going to be a conference soon about what Britain is going to do about the War in Iraq. In this they want everyone's voice to be heard. There will be a youth representative at this conference. I can't think of a better candidate than you," Ben said as Lainey's eyes filled with sadness.

"How is the candidate chosen?" she asked her voice quite emotionless.

"Youth who wish to be chosen have to write an essay," Ben started before Lainey interrupted.

"Let me guess," she said with a short laugh. "You've had someone else write my essay and the prime minister's already considering meeting me."

"Close," Ben said with a quickly fading grin. "No one has written an essay for you but we believe that if he meets you it might make an impression."

"I'd rather write," Lainey said sharply.

"I knew you'd do it," Ben exclaimed proudly as a smirk formed onto his face.

Lainey looked at him as if it was nothing and shrugged. "As long as I don't have to be undercover as Paisley I'm fine," she said. "When do I meet whomever?"

"Tomorrow after school if you like," Ben said.

"That's right," Lainey remarked sarcastically. "I forgot you guys can do anything you want."

Ben laughed slightly and looked at his polished shoes. "Sit down Paisley," he said. "We have some time for catching up with each other."

Lainey frowned at the name before grinning and sitting down in the chair in front of his desk.

-

It had been a while since Alex had broken into anything. Breaking out was much different than breaking in. He had dark ninja clothes on so he couldn't be easily seen in the dark. It was warm for a December evening but there was something inside of him that was dying to do something adventurous.

Alex had found out where Lainey lived Sunday when they were talking on the phone. It was a large brick house with shrubs surrounding the porch. He wasn't exactly sure which window was hers so he ended up watching until her lights all went off. He found out by seeing her silhouette next to the window before she went to bed.

Alex wasn't nervous even if he was a bit worried that putting a ladder up to the side of the house might wake them. He succeeded in being quiet until he got to the window. As he placed his palms on the glass and pushed up the window panes squeaked and the ladder beneath his feet fell from the side of the house. The ladder made a loud thud as Alex poked his head inside and landed catlike on the floor.

Lainey's room was large and modern. The furniture was color coordinated and organized. She had a two door closet. A big closet would be typical of a teenage girl. Alex looked around as he stood up straight and took at step towards her bed. It would be fun to scare her.

It took less than a second to calculate that Lainey wasn't in her bed and that she must have heard him come in. He heard the sudden rustle of clothing to his left before reacting to a blow to his head and getting punched in the ribs. Wincing he brought Lainey's wrist around until he found her other hand. She stomped on his toes and he finally cried out as she pinched his nose.

"Ow!"

"Alex?" Lainey whispered. There was a creak of wood and Lainey put her hand over Alex's mouth as they moved into the shadows. Hannah poked her head in the door.

"Are you okay Lain?" Hannah asked sleepily.

"Yeah," Lainey replied keeping so close to Alex that his eyelids automatically close because of her breath. "I just wanted some fresh air."

"Well it's not safe to keep the window open, so close it soon alright" Hannah replied and closed the door. Lainey still didn't move until she heard Hannah's door close too.

"What are you doing here?" Lainey whispered earnestly.

"You practically challenged me to break into your house today," Alex whispered exhilarated by the fact that she still hadn't moved away from him. Through the dim light he could see her eyebrows twist in thought.

"I didn't think you'd actually do it," Lainey said laughing shortly with a small look of awe on her face. Her breath was minty fresh from her toothpaste. He couldn't think of anything to say. She pulled away from him finally a few inches. "Why did you come at night though?"

"It seemed a bit more exciting," Alex said with a shrug.

"Do you usually do this to your friends?" Lainey wondered. Alex had no answer to that. Trying to say something he opened and closed his mouth several times, looking more like a goldfish than anything. Lainey laughed slightly as she stepped away from him. "Well this is awkward," she said.

Alex felt suddenly very stupid. He hadn't thought ahead. He had a familiar adrenaline rush on the top of the ladder. He considered telling her. "Lainey," he said through the darkness. She had just sat on her bed again as the moonlight accented every feature on her face. "I know this is going to be hard to believe," he started slowly.

"I know."

Alex stopped and waited for her to say something or did he imagine her lips moving. "For the past nine months," he started again before seeing her lips move again.

"I said I know," Lainey repeated as her blue eyes glued him to the shadows. Before he could ask how, she averted her eyes and motioned him forward. "This is my mother," she said handing him a picture from under her pillow. "She was one of the very few female military intelligence leaders in America." Alex peered through the gloom at the picture of a blonde woman with a military haircut and uniform on. "She did field work instead of the typical undercover positions like Tamara Knight," Lainey continued. "They sent her into Iraq where, Alex no!"

Alex had been about to sit on the bed next to her but it was too late. The lights flashed on as Lainey moaned and Hannah rushed in to look dumbfounded at Alex with a gun.

"Military Kid has been violated," said a female voice notifying MI6 of the alarm that had gone off. "High Security violation. Break in."

Alex leapt off the bed as Hannah came in. "Alex," she said tiredly with her gun still raised. "We're going to have to bring you in for this."

"I told you not to try," Lainey whispered somberly. She looked absolutely defeated. Alex couldn't look at her as Hannah grabbed him and he found himself on his way right to the place where he swore to himself to never get himself into again.

He suddenly realized the look on Lainey's face. She had never meant for him to be thrown into it all over again. She did know everything then. The same look came over his face as Hannah drove him away from the house and on towards Liverpool Street.

Lainey picked up her cell phone. "Ben," she said after he had picked up the phone. "I need a favor."

**Yes Lainey is a spy as well. Sort of anyway. MI6 know her at least because of Ash. Alex doesn't know this yet. That's what next chapter is for. Review please.**


	4. Tension

**Yeah so it's been a while. I'm now using a laptop and well it takes forever to explain. Here's the next chapter.**

Tension

Alex was sitting once again in front of Alan Blunt. How many times did this make? Eight times. Last time he was being thanked. He had made sure that Alex still had a way back to MI6.

"You have some explaining to do," Alex said before Mr. Blunt opened his mouth. "Why was I followed?"

"Followed?" Mr. Blunt said. "You've made a big impression on a lot of military viewers. We had to have some one protect you from predators. Of course we didn't want it to seem obvious so we used a teenage girl."

Alex thought all of this over quickly. "So are you going to tell me more about Lainey or not," he said.

Mr. Blunt pursed his lips and sniffed before speaking. Alex wondered if that was a sign of amusement. "Lainey is known as Agent Paisley here," he said. "She's no more than a carefree diplomat that lightens the SAS agents' spirits." There was a loud thump at the door where Alex had entered but Mr. Blunt didn't seem to hear it even though Alex turned his head. He continued. "Her mother was American and she was a field worker. One of the finest women soldiers the American army had. Of course Americans are highly protective of their women and when they discovered she was pregnant they kicked her out." There was another loud thump but Blunt still continued to speak. "She hi-jacked the plane that was going to take her home and forced everyone at gunpoint to parachute out. She flew the plane all the way to Australia. Her father..."

"GET OUT OF MY WAY RIGHT NOW RODRIGUEZ!" a loud voice pierced through the door. "OR I SWEAR I'LL MAKE SURE YOU WISH THAT YOU WEREN'T MALE." There was a pause as Mr. Blunt sat there with his mouth open. Alex could barely keep from laughing. The room should have been sound proof.

"THE DAMN MEETING'S ABOUT ME RODRIGUEZ! GET OUT OF MY WAY," Lainey yelled. The door swung open. Two guards were sitting dazed on the ground. Ben was standing there looking amused. Rodriguez had opened the door. "I've never had to try so hard to get into a meeting about myself," she said stepping past them into the room.

"You managed to crack the sound proofing on the door," Blunt said hollowly.

"I managed to knock out Snyder who's gun butt emitted the first thump you heard," Lainey said.

"What was the second thump?" Alex asked looking up at Lainey standing there casually as if this happened all the time.

"Ben attacking Rodriguez," she said with a shrug. "He sort of popped out of no where." Rodriguez had a bruise growing on his arm as Ben looked over at him and closed the door behind her.

"So what were you saying Mr. Blunt?" Lainey asked as she sat lazily in the chair next to Alex.

Alex looked at Mr. Blunt. "You told me I was the only teenage agent you had," he said. "If Lainey is Agent Paisley why didn't you use her?"

"That's a good question Alex," Blunt started before Lainey interrupted.

"He's probably told you that Americans are protective of their women," she said. "I lived there for quite a few years and it isn't true. They just didn't want to risk an unborn child's life. Still if a woman wanted to enter the military," she added sharply looking at Blunt, "She would be able to no questions asked."

Blunt looked over at Alex and then back to Lainey. "Do you want to live in America again?" Blunt asked. Alex could tell it was more of a threat than an inquisition.

"No," Lainey replied with her mouth set. "This country has a little prioritizing to deal with."

"The country doesn't revolve around you Lainey," Blunt said. Alex's eyes widened. He had never heard Blunt say something so opinionated.

"Well it sure as hell shouldn't revolve around you," Lainey said. "I believe you've said enough," she said and stood up to leave. Alex moved to follow her.

"Sit down Lainey," Blunt said...bluntly. "You should hear about this mission."

At the word mission Lainey turned her head and slowly turned to sit back down. Blunt waited for her.

"Mission?" Alex said as it suddenly calculated. "I told you I'm finished with working for you."

"It's a political mission," Blunt said. "You won't have to fight even in the worst case scenario."

Alex seriously doubted it.

Lainey looked over at Alex before asking. "Does this have anything to do with me meeting the Prime Minister tomorrow after school?"

"It actually has everything to do with it," Blunt said and turned to Alex.

"So you're pretty much locking the government in on itself," Lainey said. "After all MI6 bleeds directly into politics. Nothing can be done without some diplomat knowing about it."

"Rather safe than sorry," Blunt said.

"Sorry?" Alex cried out. "Since when have you been sorry?"

"There are things that have been beyond my power Alex," Blunt said. "Don't think it's incapable for me to be sorry. I put my trust in agents to do their job and they don't always make it."

"Yes that's it," Lainey exclaimed. "You don't trust me because of who my parents were. Yet you trust Alex because of who his whole family is." Blunt didn't say anything. Lainey couldn't say anything either for a minute as Alex looked back and forth between the two. "My inquisition is over now," Lainey said finally as she stood up. "We both have school tomorrow and you san rest assured that Alex will come with me to meet the Prime Minister tomorrow. Right now we need to go to bed. Good bye Mr. Blunt." She didn't wait for his reply as Lainey grabbed Alex's arm and pulled him out of the room into a small group of people tending to the guards that were now lying flat on their backs with their feet elevated and drinking sips of water. One had his arm in a sling. "Have a good night Snyder," Lainey said looking down at him before quickly passing him.

"What's all this about?" Alex asked as they walked out to Hannah who was waiting by a car to take them home in.

"I'll tell you tomorrow after we meet the Prime Minister," Lainey promised as they walked through the doors.

They were sitting in the backseat of the car before Alex had enough nerve to ask a question that had been burning in his mind since he found that Ben had helped her. "How did you meet Ben?" He asked.

Lainey looked at her with her bright blue eyes and blinked. "I meet all MI6 agents and operatives," she said. "I make it my business to do so."

"Why didn't you meet me?" Alex asked.

"You were never around long enough and some things went down in Bath that Hannah had to take care of," Lainey said.

"Is Hannah an MI6 operative?" Alex asked in a whispered voice. Hannah heard him anyway.

"I'm caretaker," she replied. "I watch and defend people in unstable situations. I'm specialized in psychology and have trained in many physical ways."

"Such as mountain climbing, white water rafting, surfing, snowboarding, sky diving, bungee jumping," Lainey added with a slight cringe at bungee jumping.

"Lainey had to be pushed at the bungee jumping," Hannah said.

"I did it once and my neck had cricks for a week," Lainey said. "It was an awful feeling when you fell because you had so many bad thoughts going through your head all in a split second."

"You've done some very daring things," Alex said.

"I loved parasailing," Lainey said, dramatically changing the mood. "I did that once and when you finally get up in the air you don't ever want to come down. It's like floating. I loved it. When winter's over I'll take you sometime."

"That sounds like fun," Alex said. He'd gone kite surfing but never parasailing. He imagined for a while what it would be like to be streaming behind a boat up in the air.

While he did this Lainey observed him casually. She had never had a really close friend before having been home schooled and in different countries all the time in her younger years. All her friends in Bath had been daughters of politicians who were constantly being watched. She'd never been able to do anything exciting and when Alex had come into her room it meant something to her. It was daring and different. He was her equal in every way. It excited her and it scared her. She didn't know what was going to happen and at that moment her heart was stolen. She didn't know what she would do without him. Besides Sabina and she supposed Tom were her only other friends and they didn't understand at all. They just couldn't. They didn't know what it was like to not have parents for the majority of their lives. They didn't understand the whole spy thing and how everything they went about had to be in secret.

By the time Lainey had thought this all over Alex was asleep. Lainey considered leaning on him for a moment. She sat close to him first to test how asleep he really was. When he didn't move she gently put her head on his shoulder. Weather Alex was aware of it or not he put his head on top of hers and they both fell asleep together.


	5. Party Time

**Okay so it's been like freaking forever since I've updated I know. I survived wisdom teeth and to be honest I forgot about getting back on. It's a shame I know. And all you people who had reviews about Lainey being better than Alex…well just read the next few chapters.**

**Party Time**

Alex was sitting in the backseat again with Lainey. "Did you sleep well last night?" he asked her.

"Like a rock and more," Lainey said rubbing her temples.

"I could see that in class," Alex teased as he looked out the window.

Lainey punched him. "I'm not used to school hours alright," she said drinking her vitamin water. "We're going to a karaoke bar for teens after the meeting," she said putting her feet over the back of Hannah's seat and waving them around.

"I can't drive when you do that Lainey," Hannah scolded.

"It's called a traffic jam Aunty Hannah," Lainey said mockingly and looked out the window at the circle turn. "What godforsaken man came up with circle turns anyway?" she cried thumping her head on the cushion. "Or woman," she added. She sighed and then looked at her watch. "We're going to be late."

"I'm sure the Prime Minister will understand," Hannah said trying to calm her down. "Who knows, he may be caught in traffic too."

Lainey looked at Alex who shook his head and smiled in agreement. "I doubt it," they said simultaneously.

"Why do teenagers think all adults in high society get away with everything?" Hannah asked as they moved forward a few feet.

"I've met them," Alex said in a strained voice. "And they do."

Lainey smiled sadly at him. "Nothing like that is going to happen," she said. "Not today." She put her hand out to him. "Today we're happy little teenagers on their way to meet the prime minister and help this country and this world as much as any other teenager," she said. "Deal?"

Alex sighed and took her hand after a moment of thought. "Deal," he said.

Lainey grinned at him. "Good," she said and then pulled him out of the car. "Here we are."

"10 Downing Street," Alex sighed as they got out and walked past the security guards.

"Looks extremely ordinary," Lainey remarked as they walked up to the building with Hannah in the lead. Hannah gave the inside security guards their identification cards. They began to scan them.

Lainey was looking around the inside. "Not as normal as I thought," she admitted as she observed the staircase that was near them. "Better on the inside," she went on. "Like 'Doctor Who'."

"You watch that show?" Alex asked in surprise.

"Best show ever," Lainey replied as she turned back to him. "You watch the tellie?"

"Not much," Alex said with a shrug.

"We should see that tonight too," Lainey said with a smile. "I've got the latest season on DVD."

"What's it about?" Alex asked. Lainey was very good at distracting him. She was in the middle of explaining the Daleks to him when their identification came through.

"They have the most annoying voices ever," Lainey remarked with a laugh. "Exterminate!" She laughed again as Alex joined her.

Hannah gave Lainey an expandable folder with an expression of scolding amusement. Lainey pointed her face toward the stapled papers. "We read this," I said. "I and a friend of mine typed it up last night over instant messaging."

"You're joking," Alex remarked.

"Why would I joke over something so serious as war?" Lainey asked as she handed him a packet. "We researched statistics and everything."

Alex flipped the papers. "I think you killed a very young tree," he said skeptically.

"Or a large bush," Lainey agreed. "There are copies of charts and things in there for everyone to look at." She shrugged. "We'll only need to talk when spoken to."

"Okay," Alex said and smiled at her.

A rather hawkish looking woman appeared on the landing of the stairs. "The Minister is waiting," she said in a hysterically high pitched voice. They walked up the stairs to her.

"Are you okay?" Lainey asked her. She looked very frazzled.

"My son is in the SAS," she whispered. "If we withdraw our troops I don't know what he'll do with the rest of his life."

"Who is your son?" Lainey asked. "I have an uncle in the SAS. He may know your son."

"Benjamin Daniels," the woman replied as she led them up the stairs. "He never talks about the people he works with."

"He's a friend of mine," Lainey said smiling at you. "I'm sure he'll be perfectly fine."

Mrs. Daniels sighed and relaxed. "In this room here," she said and opened the door in front of them into a huge conference room.

"Traffic was horrid," Lainey said brightly as she and Alex took their seats.

"Of course," the Prime Minister replied coolly. "It's rush hour."

"I still don't see what average children would know about warfare," one of the politicians remarked. He was smooth shaven with cold blue eyes.

"On the contrary," Lainey retorted calmly. "Teenagers have a very intellectual observance of how war affects the economy and home life. As a politician you should know that every child is your responsibility. Perhaps you do not trust yourself."

"That's quite enough Lainey," the Prime Minister said looking at her.

Lainey stiffened as her fists began to clench. The meeting went forward. Lainey pulled out the correct papers and Alex read them.

The main idea that came up was to keep troops stationed in Iraq. If a soldier steps out of line they should be immediately deported no matter what position the soldier held.

That did not go over well with most people. Lainey got to her feet. "I believe we presented our case," she said. "If you wish to discuss it you may. We have a previous engagement." Lainey handed the file to the Prime Minister and headed for the door. Alex got up and followed her outside.

"What's wrong?" Alex asked her as they met Hannah on the stairs.

"Nothing is wrong," Lainey replied thickly as she swept herself out of the door at 10 Downing Street as if she owned the place.

"I don't like politicians," she grumbled when they finally got in their car. "They don't care much for the people of the UK and they never carry the responsibility for their mistakes."

Everyone in the car fell silent.

When they reached the Karaoke bar Lainey opened the door before Hannah had the chance to turn of the car. She was in her own little world.

The Karaoke bar was full of loud teenagers and mediocre singers on the tiny stage in one corner. Lainey bought a bottle of water and waited for Alex to get his Coke.

"What exactly are you doing here again?" Alex asked her as they sat at the table farthest away from the stage.

"I'm going to sing," she said simply.

"Sing what?"

"A song."

"What song?"

Lainey looked up at him from her bottle of water. "You'll find out," she said and looked down at the table again. She seemed slightly nervous.

Alex inched his hand out to hers. "You'll be fine," he said with a little smile.

Her bright blue eyes disarmed him. They seemed insecure and unsure. Alex started to withdraw his hand. Lainey stopped him by putting her hand on his. "Thank you," she said. All insecurity was gone from her eyes. Warmth came from her face instead.

The intercom called her name.

"Wish me luck," she said and took her hand back as she got to her feet.

"Break a leg," he said with a small smile as she turned and grinned over her shoulder at him.

"I watch the proverbial sunrise

Coming up over the pacific and

You might think I'm losing my mind

But I will shy away from the specifics," Lainey started to sing with a smirk on her face. Her voice was cool and collected as the words colored on the screen.

"Cause I don't want you to know where I am

Cause then you'll see my heart

In the saddest state it's ever been

And this is no way

To try and live my life.

Stop right there

That's exactly where I lost it

See that line?

Well I never should have crossed it

Stop right there

Well I never should have said that

It's the very moment that I

Wish that I could take back

I'm sorry for

The person I became

I'm sorry that

It took so long for me to change

I'm ready to

Be sure I never become that way again

Cause who I am hates who I've been

Who I am hates who I've been

I talk to absolutely no one

Couldn't keep to myself enough

And the things bottled inside

Finally began to create

So much pressure that I'll soon blow up and

I heard the reverberating footsteps

Syncing up to the beating of my heart

And unless I got myself together

I would watch me fall apart

And I can't let that happen again

Cause then you'll see my heart

In the saddest state it's ever been and this is no place to try and....

The sound system shrieked and the lights flickered off.

"Alex!"

Alex shot off into the darkness as he tried to find Lainey. He called out to her. "Lainey!"

"Alex!"

Her voice was much closer. A hand pulled on the edge of his shirt. "Alex?"

"Lainey?" Alex questioned. Hair brushed the side of his face as she took his hands.

"We should get out of here," she said. There was a pause as they just stood in the middle of the darkness. Someone yelped as they tripped and pushed Lainey forward into Alex's arms. Their lips met suddenly. Lainey tilted her head forward and started to pull away but Alex held her face to his. Lainey tried to open her mouth and pull away but Alex leaned into it.

Lainey didn't figure she'd get away soon so she started to kiss him back. They hugged each other for a few seconds as they continued to kiss. Alex pulled back finally and Lainey took a step back. "Alonzy," she giggled and dragged him out of the building.

"Where were you?" Hannah asked. "I thought..."

"No need to show emotion," Lainey joked.

They all got in the car and took off. Lainey sighed as they drove to Chelsea. Lainey flipped her leg over the other. She was wearing the same boots that she wore on the first day they had met.

Still, there was something different about the boots. Perhaps it was because they now grazed Alex's knee. They were clean. Not a spot on them. With Lainey's violent behavior Alex knew something was up. The party wasn't over yet.

"You can come into my window anytime," Lainey whispered into his ear and then reclined in her seat.


	6. Taken

**This chapter is dedicated to the movie ****Taken**** with Liam Neeson. If you have not seen this film you should. After seeing it I was filled with anger for the reality of these actions and compassion for the victims who may never get to see their families again.**

**What's mine is mine. What isn't mine is the great Anthony Horowitz. God bless that man.**

**Don't forget to check my profile for sneak peeks!**

**Taken**

Lainey's eyes snapped open. She was lying on the ground and her vision blurry. Her hands and feet were bound and she had a leather gag in her mouth. Her ears were plugged and she couldn't move her own body without great effort. She closed her eyes hard so hopefully she could take in her surroundings. After a few blinks she could tell that she was in some sort of prison sell. After a few minutes she managed to sit up. Her head began to clear and she looked down at herself.

She was in a prisoner's bright orange uniform and she had no idea what day it was or where on the planet someone had taken her. All she knew was that she had been taken from everything she held dear and there was no way out. There were no windows and a flickering light bulb hanging from the ceiling. The door was as solid looking as the concrete walls. Lainey crawled over to inspect it. The concrete floor scraped her knees as she let out a small whimper. Dirt dug into the muscled side of her arms as she moved like an inchworm.

The door was metal. She stood up on her bleeding knees and banged on the door until she passed out from uncontrollable sobs and the pain from her wounds.

Alex was pacing in the living room of his home. He wasn't really sure what to do.

"Alex," Jack called from the sofa. "You're making me seasick." The anxiety was clear on her face. He had been home an hour and a half and had still refused to eat dinner.

"Go on and eat," Alex said as he turned to her.

Jack tried to frown innocently. "I'm not hungry," she lied as her stomach gave her away. Alex sighed and crossed his arms. "Fine," she consented. She pursed her lips and pointed a finger at him. "But you are going to eat something before you run off alright." She got up off of the sofa and went into the kitchen.

As soon as Alex heard Jack opening cabinets and things he grabbed a back pack and went out the door where he walked quickly down the road toward Lainey and Hannah's house.

Jack came back out from the kitchen. "Alex?" she called. There was no answer. She threw her hands up in the air and in a huff dialed a very important number to a very important bank.

Instead of sneaking into the house like before Alex decided to walk up to the front door. If Lainey's room had been bugged then maybe Hannah would answer the door for him instead of Lainey. He had to know if his instincts were just playing tricks on him. He was a little impatient as he rang the doorbell and waited for someone to answer it.

Hannah opened the door and Alex sighed with relief. "What's going on Alex?" Hannah asked. "Is everything okay?"

"I hope so," Alex said as his eyes looked for cameras that could see him but even if he couldn't. "Come outside with me please. It's important."

"But I'm in my night clothes," Hannah objected. Slowly she decided to relent as Alex's brown eyes begged her to comply.

When they were almost to the street Alex began to talk quickly grateful that Hannah listened without interruption. "In the middle of the song I believe that someone kid-knapped the real Lainey. She never flirted with me like that before. I know it's possible that I could be wrong but it's also possible to have cloned someone."

Lainey came out of the house. "Hey Alex!" she called. "What's going on?"

Hannah stiffened and gave a movement to Alex and he turned away. "He left his cell phone somewhere and was wondering if he left it in our car," she lied. "I just gave it back and was scolding him for having walked all the way over here in the dark."

Police cars rolled up with no sirens. Lainey put her hands in the air. Alex recognized Ben as he got up and out of one of the cars. "Do you know who I am?" he asked Lainey.

"What kind of question is that?" Lainey asked as she put her hands down. "Of course I know who you are."

"What's my name?" Ben asked curtly.

Lainey's eyes shifted nervously. "I was paid," she called. "I swear I don't where the real Lainey is."

Ben frowned. "Take and question her about everything she knows about Lainey," he ordered a police officer who nodded and took the fake Lainey away. "Don't worry," Ben said to Hannah. "We'll find her."

Hannah gave a grim smile. "I don't doubt you finding her at all," she said. "But you can't keep me from worrying about whether or not she's alive when you do."

"I'm going with you," Alex interjected.

Ben turned to Alex. "Don't be so sure this is what you want Alex," Ben said. "Stay home and enjoy the holidays."

Alex looked to Hannah. "I feel the same was as Hannah," he explained. "I want to make sure she is found alive."

"You don't have to do this," Hannah pointed out.

"I know what it's like to be alone and trapped," Alex said. Being a spy with no real choice was proof. Yet he had been lucky enough to escape every time. He had to give Lainey a chance. "I have to do this for myself."

Ben shrugged. "I'm not going to complain if you don't," he replied. Alex smirked and got into a car as they drove off into the night.

Two people had entered her cell with masks similar to fencing masks on and non-gender uniforms. The moved her to what looked like an infirmary. They cut off her beautiful long hair and dyed it black. The stench of the dye was still in her nostrils. The leather gag had begun to cut into her mouth and her leg restraints had been changed to shackles. One saw to it that her knees and arms were bandaged. Neither of the people spoke.

Silently they offered her a pretty dark purple dress to wear. Lainey growled, frustrated that they would not speak to her. One of them shrugged and took the dress back. She tried to object through her gag only to get one of them to cock their head to the side. She held her bound hands outs and spread her fingers toward the dress and nodded to it.

Lainey was certain she had never felt anything more wonderful in her hands before. In a flash she punched the one on her right in the gut and put her arms around the shorter one on her left swinging him or her around in a headlock until her back hit the door and the only way out of the room. It was a bad plan. If the person she had hostage was smart they could have already been out of her grasp.

She lifted her chin and growled at the person she attacked who had doubled over and was coughing. They reached for an instrument and Lainey launched the person toward the other. She didn't wait to watch them fall as she turned the door handle with a little difficulty and escaped. The gag was too tight for her to remove with her bound hands. She waddled as quickly as she could in the opposite direction of the silent masked people. She wished she could have grabbed a knife to free herself.

Her eyes searched frantically for a bathroom as she hustled through empty hallways. She thought it odd for a prison to be so empty but she wanted more than anything to be free of the restraints. The corridors suddenly started to look less like a prison and more like a hotel. She tried one of the doors. To her relief it opened.

The drapes had been pulled back to let the bright sunshine come in through the wall that was a window. It blinded Lainey momentarily.

"Nice to finally meet you Lainey Harper," came a grasping voice that had a Middle Eastern accent. "You passed a very small test. Please sit."

She squinted and saw a man who looked like he had worn a nun's habit for too long. His face was ruddy and obviously Middle Eastern but his neck and ears were a pasty white. On the arm of the chair was a Keffiyeh. He ordered the only other person in the room to take off her gag. He wore a robe with a shiny knife at his belt. Lainey had never studied the Middle East as much as she should have. That was probably for personal reasons. She knew the knife had a special name and didn't lash out as he made her sit on the edge of one of the hotel beds.

The man took the knife from his belt and grinned when Lainey's gaze had fear in it. He took the knife and put it to the base of her skull where he cut the gag with a jerk that made Lainey flinch. He took the leather out of her mouth. "And my hands," Lainey spat as she thrust her fists at his groin. The man grabbed her arms and pulled them out of his way as he put the knife to her throat.

"Be nice Lainey," the man from the chair said. "We don't have to let you live."

Lainey glared at him. "Then why haven't you killed me already?"

The man chuckled. "I'm not the enemy," he said softly.

Lainey gritted her teeth until she could regain her composure. "You tied me up and put me in a cell with a leather gag," she explained.

"I know what I did," the man said. "I need your help."

Lainey looked at him with incredulity. "Take off these restraints then," she demanded as she shook her hands and the man standing. The man in the chair nodded which caused the other to scowl. After the restraints around her hands were gone she looked at the man in the chair again. "Who are you?"

The man smiled. "You can just call me Sir for now," he said. "The kind man releasing you is Ahmed."

Lainey looked at him for a moment and then looked back to Sir. "Why didn't you just ask me then?"

Sir shifted his weight in the chair. "Because we want Alex Rider to find you," he said. "If I had asked I would have been risking not having any help at all."

"Well what is it that I'm supposed to be helping you with?" Lainey asked as she touched her hair that was basically gone.

"Children," Sir replied, "To give them a better Christmas and a brighter future." Lainey examined his face to see if there was anything he was hiding by his expression. It revealed nothing yet. She continued to be wary as she rubbed her sore wrists.

"How do you plan on accomplishing that?" Lainey asked calmly then added, "Operation T.V. box?"

Sir grinned. "Nice to see you have a sense of humor," he said. Lainey saw that he had a golden tooth. She also noticed that her hands were shaking and she was getting a headache. "You must be thirsty," he pointed out. "You've been in Jerusalem for 24 hours now. We gave you some sleep of death drug and put you in a casket." Sir waved his hand carelessly. "Get dressed and I'll show you a little of the city and get you something to eat."

Ahmed laughed. "You have to wear a burka around this part of the city," he said.

"I'd rather take my chances," Lainey said with a frown.

Sir looked at Ahmed. "She isn't Muslim Ahmed," he said gently. "She can wear whatever she likes."

The streets were buzzing. They ate at a restaurant below the building they had been in. Lainey ate slowly as she studied Sir. He was a big man who seemed to be likable enough to be at ease. Yet Lainey hated him. He had her taken away right out of a public area as if she had committed a crime punishable by the mafia. She gave away her agitation by jiggling her knees. The table wasn't very stable so it was obvious.

Through his beard Sir frowned. "I'd really appreciate if you didn't knock over the table," he requested. "There is no reason to be upset with me."

Lainey didn't know what to do with her hands. She felt like breaking something. Taking a deep breath she opened her mouth. "I was taken against my will, tied up like an animal and left in a cell," she pointed out evenly although if looks could kill…

Sir scratched at his beard and sighed. "I didn't want to do it but you should know what it's like to feel trapped. Like the children of this country," he explained. "Human trafficking in this country has risen since America has gotten involved in our politics. Parents sell their children for money because someone tells them that they will be taken care of. These men take the children out of their homes and take them to what their families think is a mission home. We have been intercepting these traffickers for years with help from a person I think you'll like to see." Sir smiled kindly at her. "She has been waiting to see you for a long time."

Sir's eyes lifted to someone standing behind Lainey. "It's been almost ten years," came an American female accent. Lainey's eyes widened. She turned around and looked at the woman standing behind her. "Hey baby girl," she said with tears streaming down her face.

"Mom?"

"I've told you a bazillion times," the fraud said. "My name is Ashley. I was auditioning for a musical when someone asked me if I would act like this Lainey girl."

Alex was watching the interrogation through a one way glass. It had been a half an hour that Ben had asked this Ashley what she knew about the people who had hired her.

"Did they tell you their names?" Ben asked.

"They used code names!" Ashley yelled as she jumped to her feet. "They gave me a prepaid card with ten thousand quid and left me with this woman who started telling me everything about her daughter while she bought me a makeover. She gave me a picture and some videos of her daughter at a restaurant laughing so I could mimic it."

"How long were you going to be this girl then?" Ben asked.

"As long as I kept up the act," Ashley replied and sat back down. "They'd send a prepaid card with ten thousand quid each month until I was found out." She leaned back in the seat. "I haven't hurt anyone and I haven't stolen anything."

"You stole an identity," Ben snapped as he palmed the metal table making her jump.

"She's not dead," Ashley pointed out. "The woman wasn't going to let her boss kill her daughter after losing her for ten years."

Alex folded his arms as Ben glared at Ashley. "Where did they take her?" he demanded slowly.

"Make me a deal," Ashley sneered.

"No prison time seem like a good enough present?" Ben growled. "You'll be in a lock up otherwise."

Ashley took a moment to consider. "They took her to the Holy Land…you know, Jerusalem," she spilled. "Can I go now?"

"Sure," Ben replied and then flashed the prepaid card at her. "This is now evidence though. So don't feel too confident about your Holiday parties."

Alex turned his back to the window as Ben came out. "So much about a white Christmas," he muttered. "Jack and Sabrina are going to kill me for running off again." Ben chuckled and waved his paperwork to be processed and walked off. Alex sighed as he looked outside and wondered why things like this always had to happen to people he cared about. A small marble of jealously entered his mind. At least Lainey had found out her mother was alive after all these years. At least she had family still alive.

He stared outside. She had still been taken even if she would be with her mother. Alex intended to get her back and make sure she was safe. Snow began to fall outside and he thought about Lainey's warmth. The marble of jealousy melted away. He closed his eyes as a tear fell to his cheek. He wiped it away. "I must be tired," he mumbled to himself and then covered his trembling lips with his fingers.

**For those of you who complained about Lainey being better than Alex….I hope you're satisfied now. Alex has gotta be a hero now.**


	7. Apologize

**This chapter is inspired by "Apologize" by Timbaland. I listened to it over and over again while I wrote this chapter.**

Alex kept fidgeting with the hem of his tee shirt as he waited at the airport for someone important. A cap came down backwards on his head. "Hello old chap," came a voice. Alex turned to see a familiar face.

"You've lost weight," Alex commented.

Despite having lost what seemed to be several hundred pounds Smithers still had the same boyish grin. "Never miss a thing do you Alex," he pointed out. He chuckled when Alex didn't say anything. "The cap's got a hidden camera in the bill," he explained.

"Sorry but I'm not really a baseball fan," Alex pointed out.

"Never without wit," Smithers chortled and waved a finger at him that was still as large as a sausage.

Alex had never liked wearing baseball caps because they made his hair wet from the sweat. In his mild irritation he shot a question at Smithers. "How did you lose the weight? Did you have surgery or something?"

Smithers widened his eyes for a moment but quickly recovered. "I'm an inventor Alex," he clarified with a scoff. "If I told you what I experimented with then all my progress would be pointless."

An awkward silence fell as the two just looked at each other.

With a sigh Smithers pulled out a brand new looking I-Phone. "With this you can do virtually anything," he said quietly as he paused for the airport announcer to finish. A large group of people got up and started to move towards the boarding ramp. "The special thing about this I-Phone is the Apps." Alex turned the phone on and quickly found the games. "The apps under the utilities box are the most important," Smithers explained. "The You Tube App is actually fingerprint-sensitive software that can only be used by you. If anyone else tries to open this the screen will just go blank."

Alex tapped on the icon that looked like an old fashioned t.v. box. A moment later the screen was looking at his shoes.

"This is a live stream to headquarters," Smithers explained. "Someone will be watching this every second of the day. All you have to do is move the phone and speak if you need to. It will pick everything up instantly."

"No guns right," Alex grunted as he closed the App.

"What kind of inventor do you think I am?" Smithers scolded. He handed Alex a pair of normal looking ear buds with a remote extension. Alex opened his mouth to say something. "There are ten feet of nylon cord in these wires," he explained quickly. "You simply snap the ear buds under the speakers for a steel hook." Smithers showed him the remote extension. "This isn't functional at all," he said. "The buttons are all plastic except for the stop button and the volume control. The volume control will retract the cord and the stop button will release 5 tranquilizer darts. These darts will only slow a person down if you're trying to get away. They will not knock someone out. Have a nice trip to the Holy Land Alex." Smithers concluded and clapped Alex on the back. "I was kidding about the cap by the way," he added as he turned to leave, "Just wanted you to look less serious."

He noticed that his eyebrows were tightly knitted together as he took off the hat. Alex put the phone in his pocket and sat down in one of the seats to wait for Ben. Earlier in the day Sabina had come over while he was packing. When he told Sabina what had happened to Lainey she had burst into tears.

"I should have known something like this would happen," she sobbed as Jack handed her a box of tissues. Alex had sat stiffly in his chair unsure of what to say. "Ever since Wimbledon weird things have happened to her. She told me she went to Bath once and hated it. Talked about how people there were always so rude. Next time I hear from her she's living there. I knew she was miserable there but she wouldn't tell me what she was doing. She kept changing subjects when I talked about you."

Sabina had looked at Alex with her eyes all puffy. "Ever since we've become friends these kinds of things keep happening to me," she said. "I don't understand why I keep putting up with this." She started crying again.

A few moments of uncomfortable quiet had filtered through the room. "I'm going to finish packing," Alex had said and went up the stairs.

He wasn't really sure why Lainey seemed so important to him. There was just an air of familiarity that he sensed from her. She had no parents just like him and they were both involved in MI6. It made sense to care for her.

After a few minutes Sabina had calmed herself down and apologized to Alex. She knew that what she had said upset him and she didn't want him to blame himself. He tried to express that the apology only made him feel worse for leaving her behind. When Sabina finally realized that he had no intention to let her go with him, he was afraid she would start crying again.

"You really think I'm going to let you go after one of my best friends without me?" She pointed out.

Alex couldn't think of what to say at first. His first thought was that he would be too worried about Sabina to be able to save Lainey. Yet that would make Sabina feel like she was worthless. He shifted his weight. "Sab, I don't want you to get hurt this time," he managed to say. It was pretty lame. Alex had never felt that confident about expressing his feelings. "Please let me handle this."

Sabina had her mouth opened in shock. She seemed speechless herself for a moment. "How do I even know if you're alive?" she blurted out suddenly as emotion seeped into her tone. For an instant she was on the verge of tears again but then she recovered. "So you're going manly on me then," she teased. "Trying to gain a few years?" He could tell that she was actually worried about him. It made him smile a little to know that Jack wasn't the only person he had left in the world. "Just come back with sideburns instead of more scars," she added as she waved her hands. "I can't believe I'm letting you do this?" Alex managed to laugh.

His own laugh echoed through the airport atrium. No one looked at him because he was just looking jown at the i-pod he had taken out of his pocket. Sabina and Lainey were two very funny girls. Alex admired them both. He jiggled his legs around in boredom as he thought about his friends. A hand waved itself in front of Alex's face.

"You're late," Alex pointed out.

"Too late for an apology?" Ben asked with a playful scowl. "I had a little problem with the lady of my house."

Alex raised his eyebrows as he got up and they started to walk together. "You're married?"

Ben nodded. "Got a baby boy on the way," he added. "He's due on Christmas Day. My wife's about ready to pop!"

"Do you think it's safe to really tell me about your personal life?" Alex asked after grinning.

Ben shook his head and sighed. "You've been a spy too long," he said. "We're two friends who are going to go find a friend we have in common. This is not a mission to save the world Alex." He laughed. "Like I told my wife, Mary, relax."

Alex knew this feeling in his gut. Ever since the death of his uncle Alex knew that he would always be in mortal danger no matter if he had a gun or not. Although he knew very little about the opposite sex saving Lainey was different than a woman giving birth to a baby. Women gave birth all the time. Being kid-knapped in a teen kareoke bar was suspicious.

* * *

Despite Lainey's elation at finding her mother was still alive she had very little to say. They had spent two hours talking and walking around Jerusalem. They talked about boys and fashion and music. Lainey couldn't bring herself to call Agatha her mother. Every time the word came to her mouth a flame of anger shot through her.

"Let's talk about more important things baby girl," Agatha said with a small smile as they sat at a small fountain in a public courtyard.

Lainey pressed her lips together as she tried to control her rising temper. Baby girl was something she had never imagined her mother calling her as a child. "Yes, let's talk about why you're alive," she huffed as she glared at Agatha.

Agatha took a deep breath as Lainey refused to look at her. "I know asking you to forgive me is like asking a stone to become bread," she said calmly. "Leaving you behind was the hardest thing for me to do."

"Just tell me the truth!" Lainey snapped avoiding all eye contact. She didn't want hear that her mother was sorry. She wanted answers. Agatha took another breath as she watched her daughter struggling to relax.

"I had to leave because your father had to believe I was dead," she stated in a steady but lifeless tone.

Lainey jumped off the fountain they were sitting on and looked away. "Do you have any idea how hurt I was?" she asked.

"I'm sorry," Agatha said tearfully.

"I could have died!" Lainey shrieked and turned back around to her mother. There were tears streaming down her face. "Was this part of your plan?" Lainey opened the top of her pants and yanked up her shirt to reveal a marred and scarred abdomen. Agatha closed her eyes as a tear fell down her face.

"I can't take responsibility for what your father did to that house," Agatha pointed out calmly. "For what happened to you." Rage subsided inside Lainey. She fixed her pants and sat down on the fountain again. "I wish I could have been there when you were hurt. I didn't even know you were home when it happened."

"I don't really want to talk about it," Lainey murmured as she ran a finger through the water of the fountain. "What have you been doing all this time?" she asked finally.

"Thought you'd never ask," Agatha said with a smirk that Lainey only half returned. "I've been working here as a missionary with the poor children of Jerusalem. After all the bombing in Palestine lately there are children without parents or clothes. Mr..." Agatha caught herself before saying his name with a pained expression. "Sir is the person who funds the Mission who gives the children of Jerusalem a home and a family." Agatha beamed at her daughter. "Would you like to go there tomorrow?" she asked.

"I'd love to go," Lainey replied with a smile that faltered a little. "Why tomorrow?"

"Because today is almost over," Agatha pointed out still smiling. "I want you to be able to experience a full day of work at the Mission."

Lainey managed to smile enough for her mother to leave the subject alone before is dissipated. Her gut was telling her that something wasn't being said. Lainey made up her mind then and there what was going on with "Sir" and this Mission for the children of Jerusalem.

They spent the evening in a hotel that seemed misplaced in the crowded streets of Jerusalem. There were two separate rooms in a suite. Lainey didn't ask how her mother paid for the room. She assumed she had a job. She found the dresser filled with clothes she could wear. She put on a silky night gown and lied down in the bed. With a small grunt of amusement she tried to imagine what Alex's face would look like if he saw her in a silk or even satin nighty. She giggled and flopped from her back to her belly.

Thinking of Alex made her feel like a school girl. She couldn't stop grinning and giggled once more before burying her face in a pillow. A few minutes later she stopped giggling like a little girl and sat up in the middle of the bed. Sir had wanted Alex to come. Fear sank into her stomach as she reached up to twist the hair that was no longer there. What kind of trouble was she in if it was Alex they really wanted?

"Oh Alex," she murmured into the growing darkness outside her window. "Please don't try to be my hero." She pressed her face into her hands. She hadn't known him for very long.

Before Lainey realized it she was dreaming.

_There he was. Alex Rider. He waved and called out Lainey's name. She tried to run away and lose him in a crowd. Then he was right in front of her. _

"_You shouldn't be here!" she cried. "It's you they want! Save yourself."_

_The warm brown eyes Lainey remember turned cold. "I didn't come here for you," Alex pointed out flatly. "I came here for Sabina...so she would be safe. This way she'll forgive me for all the things that have happened to her because of me."_

"_She doesn't blame you Alex," Lainey called. Alex started to turn away. "I fell in love with you because of her!" He didn't stop turning. Lainey reached out a hand to him and started to fall towards him. Alex body kept turning as her fingers brushed though his form like a mist. She kept falling...never making contact with the ground..._

Lainey woke with a start to see Agatha at the foot of her bed. "You still wiggle around when you sleep just like you did in the womb," she whispered. "You used to keep me awake for a solid two hours before being still at night sometimes." She laughed. The sound was familiar and raspy.

Tears stung at the back of Lainey's eyes. "Mom," she whimpered and her mother rushed to comfort her daughter.

* * *

Alex yawned and stretched as he and Ben walked down the exit ramp to get their luggage. Alex hadn't packed anything but Ben assured him that there was luggage waiting for them at the airport. It took a long time to get through customs but eventually things ran smoothly as Ben arranged for their bags to be packed in a taxi.

The two shared a double room at a nice hotel. Ben asked Alex if he wanted anything from room service as he picked up the phone. "Just a Coke or some sort of soda," Alex replied as he opened the luggage with his name on the tag. Inside were several changes of clothes. They didn't look like they had ever been worn before.

Ben tried to communicate with room service as Alex ruffled his fair hair and looked for a pair of pajama pants to wear to bed. He felt a little dumb for not having thought to pack anything. "I have a little jet lag so I'm going to turn the t.v. on low," Ben explained after hanging up with room service. Alex nodded to him as he pulled out a pair of flannel pants.

Alex's brow twisted as he looked at the pajama pants. "Not exactly my style," he muttered to himself and shrugged. There was a house robe that matched but wonderfully not plaid like the pants. "I saw a vending machine by the elevator," Alex said over the t.v. noise. "I'm going to see what they have in there." He stopped in the tiny bathroom to change before he pulled on the house robe and opened the door into the hallway.

As Alex approached the vending machine he had the chance to admire the backside of a girl about his age in a silk nightgown. She had short dark hair and was grumbling about something as she walked swiftly towards the suite side of the hotel. Her bare feet tapped the carpet as the nightgown swished and billowed around her thighs. Alex smiled to himself and looked at the floor before standing in front of the vending machine and seeing that everything was written in Arabic. He grinned and walked back to the room knowing what the girl had been grumbling about.

Lainey ran a hand through her short hair as she came back to the sofa with her mother who was eating popcorn. "You have to teach me how to read Arabic," she insisted as she plopped down to watch a chick flick on late night t.v. "I couldn't read anything on that vending machine."

**If you read this chapter then you have time to write a review that says... "I read this chapter." Do it or I'll drop an Arabic vending machine on you. -.- Seriously...**


	8. Dreams

**It's been a while since I updated this story. I've been re-reading the books and got interested in continuing this story again. I've been through a bunch of issues that's kept me from working on fanfictions. Things are a bit better now. I'm writing this as a pure entertainment chapter.**

**If two teenagers have feelings for each other what would their dreams be like?**

Alex yawned until his eyes watered as he lay in bed waiting for sleep to envelop him. Ben was already fast asleep in his bed with a soft rhythmic snore. In his waking dreams Alex considered his hidden excitement at finding someone who was in the same situation as he. He drifted into the memory of Lainey doing gymnastics in front of the entire gym class. She had been so fearless.

Memories of the shape of her legs arms and face crossed his mind. He could remember the smell of pine needles when he first met her. Alex recalled the color of her sweater on the last day he saw her, the real her. Imagining he reached out to touch it, he began to fall into a deep sleep.

_He heard her laugh and catch hold of his arm. They seemed to be dancing. Alex felt so happy with her. He knew he was smiling more than he had in his entire life. The most important thing was that she was smiling too. They kissed, softly as if it had happened so often it had become natural. "Lainey," he whispered and put his hand on her hair, "I will never let anything happen to you again."_

"_Don't be silly," Lainey replied with a laugh. "This moment is perfect." She kissed him again. "Don't worry about me. I'll always be here for you."_

_Pulling her close Alex kissed her more deeply than he knew a person could and completely lost himself in it, not knowing when it began or if it ever ended._

Lainey couldn't keep her eyes open anymore. The movie was only half way over and was completely predictable. Most romantic comedies were predictable. She crawled into the four poster bed in her room and went to sleep almost instantly.

Her worry for Alex swept her into an uneasy sleep which was eventually smoothed over from exhaustion. Lainey kept repeating his name in her mind over and over again like a chant. She recalled his eyes in the cinema. That determined glare of suspicion and then a softening. She knew all he'd been through and wished she could erase time and do it all herself so he could be the school boy he dreamed of being.

_She was sitting in the sand with Alex. There was a familiar spray in the air from the ocean. However the sand was a dark coarse yellow like it was in the desert. "We must have found an oasis," Lainey pointed out. "Who would have thought that there could be an ocean in the middle of the desert?"_

_They laughed. The sound seemed distant as if someone somewhere else was laughing with them. They were certainly alone though. Lainey started to chatter about Bath and what she had been doing there. "Mainly keeping an eye on young sons and daughters of politicians who go to Bath often," she explained._

"_Did any of the boys have a thing for you?" Alex asked. He was sitting closer to her than she remembered._

_Lainey smirked. "Even if they did there were plenty of other girls around determined to spoil all the fun."_

"_So is that a no?"_

_Alex's face was within inches of Lainey's. She felt herself blush. "Well spoiled brats are used to doing whatever it takes to get what they want," she pointed out. "If a boy was interested in me I never would have known. Teenage girls can be very vicious when it comes to claiming boys."_

_One of Alex's eyebrows rose slightly. "What if one of the boys had been me," he asked._

_A breathy laugh escaped through Lainey's lips. "I'm sure you wouldn't be fooled by such a simple plan to hijack a heart," she said with a smirk._

_Alex smiled and then kissed her._

"_Don't come to find me," she said. "Please, don't let your gut guide you here. I couldn't bear you dying this time just because of me."_

_He didn't seem to hear. In fact the dream seemed frozen as if something were wrong._

A car bomb went off in the street outside the hotel. Alex and Lainey both woke up at the same instant.


End file.
